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Tiny insects #681965

Asked February 26, 2021, 7:32 PM EST

We recently moved to a new home. Until Monday when we moved our house plants we have not seen a single insect here. We think they are from the wandering Jew plant, cuttings of which we harvested from the three baskets we had hanging from our front porch this summer. We also have a number of succulents and pothos on the same table in the sunroom. Also brought an arabica coffee plant (45 years old) but have never seen insects on it and it is in another room. The insects are tiny. I see them when I am using my iPad and one will buzz across the screen. See them one at a time. What can we do to eliminate them?

Washington County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thank you for writing. It sounds to me like your plants have fungus gnats. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7448.html 

These are common and having them walk across a cell phone is a terrific way to see them.  They live in soil. Sticky traps works so do organi insecticidal soaps which are readily found in garden stores (I can not name names) but these do not contain pesticides. Spray lightly every other day, especially near the base.
I hope this helps.

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